Auschwitz - school trip what age did your child go?

[Egggywegggy]

My dd has brought home a letter from the school to visit Auschwitz after Easter.
She will be 15 then

I want to know from parents whose children have been, what age they were when they went and if they felt it was a good experience or totally harrowing.
If it was harrowing, what was the effect on your ds or DD

I went when I was 15. This was way back when Poland was under Martial Law so the whole trip was an indescribable experience. I found Auschwitz incredibly moving and it did affect me for quite a long time. I hadn’t realised we were going to be taken into the actual gas chambers and would have preferred to decline that part.

DS went to Munich and Dachau in Yr 9, he was 14.

We typically take A Level (sometimes GCSE) if and when we do trips.

DS was probably pretty strange in his reaction to the gas chambers at Dachau - he said it didn’t bother him because they were never actually used.

15. Some of them may have been 14 as DS is one of the oldest on his year. Not recommended to under 13's our school days.

Dachau - 15
Good experience consolidating on the history (war) ethics/sociology (homosexuality) and literature (Boy in striped pyjamas, the Wave, Anne Frank) they had been doing in the lead-up.
Only thing they were unhappy with was peers taking selfies and some ignorant comments (they hoiked up their judgy pants and called them on it). The lead-up was across the curriculum though including watching actors read diary extracts.

I went to dauchau when I was 16, and found it incredibly moving. We spoke with an old man who lived/worked in the camp (I'm not sure now as it was 14 years ago ) but his account drove us to tears. I think it was an important and haunting lesson to learn about how cruel human beings can be.

15/16...she said it was extremely harrowing, but was so pleased she went as its an important part of history. Still talks about it 10 years later

I took a group of 16 year olds. Auschwitz is harrowing at any age tbh and I believe everyone should know the atrocities that happened there. Yes, it's shocking BUT it's history and a lot of schools tend not to teach about the holocaust.

The official version of the Dachau story, since 2003, is that the gas chamber "could have been used" and in fact, "it was used a few times." The sign that formerly said in 5 languages that the gas chamber was never used has been removed because some of the still living members of the International Committee of Dachau insist that the gas chamber was used.

Mine is going next year on a school trip, she will be 15

I'd say y9 is too young for some kids. By y10 most are mature enough.

My son and daughter both went (separate times) in year 7. It was delivered for their age group, without being watered down too much. I'm so glad they both went. They had the opportunity to meet survivors which is an opportunity open to very few.

My 16 year old DS has just returned from Dachau. He was profoundly moved.

I think this will change the way he thinks about a lot of issues.

Yes considering what's happening at the moment I guess it's a good thing

I was taken to Dachau by my parents, I would guess I was a round 12/13 and my dB 10/11. I know my parents had to ask permission to take dB into the film because he was under the recommended age. This would have been 30+ years ago and I still recall how deeply moving it was.

Dc1 went to Auschwitz earlier this year, yr12 aged 16 with the Holocaust Edication Trust. Prior to the trip, she met with a lady who had survived Auschwitz. Again, it moved her deeply and she was glad to have had the opportunity.

What in particular is happening at the moment?